Endothelial cells and angiogenesis intensity in lung cancer.

We focused our studies on single endothelial cells (ECs) scattered in extracellular matrix in lung cancer tumors. Neovascularization was evaluated in 100 tumors obtained from patients operated for lung cancer, in relation to histological type, tumor differentiation and clinical stage of the disease. Angiogenic objects (single endothelial cells and microvessels) were identified by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies against von Willebrand factor. The count of angiogenic objects per 1 mm2 in each section was determined in a "hot spot" located at the margin of the tumor. We used an arbitrary scale of angiogenesis intensity: 1 - 0-200, 2 - 201-400, 3 - >400 angiogenic objects/mm2. A majority (57%) of the examined cases belonged to the group 2. The angiogenesis intensity measured by the single EC numbers/mm2 correlates with the histological type and the differentiation of the tumors. There was no such a correlation when the angiogenesis intensity was measured by counting total angiogenic objects (microvessels + EC) number/mm2. Single EC number/mm2 in different histological types of cancer were as follows: 162+/-121 in squamous cell (SqCC), 194+/-71 in adenocarcinoma (AdC), 225+/-145 in large cell (LCC), 264+/-52 in small cell (SCC), 279+/-173 in combined cancer. The differences between the EC counts in the different histological types of lung cancers were statistically significant in the following pairs: SqCC vs SCC (p=0.0233) and AdC vs SCC (p=0.0409). The correlation between EC count in the "hot spot" and the grade of tumor differentiation was statistically significant for G1 vs G4 (p=0.0007) and G1 vs G2 (p=0.0411). Our results suggest that higher numbers of EC/mm2 may confirm rapid development of angioneogenesis. These relations should be examined in larger series of cases.

Fractal geometric analysis of lung cancer angiogenic patterns.

For medical images, the fractal dimension D may be used as an index of irregularity. The angiogenesis patterns of lung cancer were analysed by means of the perimeter-area and box counting algorithms. The fractal nature of all images in the sense of the perimeter-area method and of 68% images in the sense of the box-counting method suggest the possibility to use the fractal dimension as a new non-morphometric parameter evaluating angiogenic processes in neoplasms.

Angiogenesis in endometrial cancer.

We evaluated the level of angiogenesis in endometrial adenocarcinoma and investigated the relationship between tumor vascularity and clinicopathological parameters. The level of angiogenesis in noninvaded uterine smooth muscle was also studied. Angiogenesis was studied in uteri of 29 post-menopausal women operated on for endometrial cancer. DAKO EPOS Anti-Human von Willebrand Factor/HRP antibodies were applied to mark endothelial cells. Both vessels and endothelial cells were counted on a light microscope equipped with computerized morphometric appliance. The highest density of vessels and endothelial cells was found in disease-free uterine smooth muscle tissue situated distant to the tumor. Density of vessels and endothelial cell counts were higher in the outer as compared to the central parts of the tumor. We found statistically significant differences in total angiogenic points' density between groups of various clinical FIGO staging, specifically between Ia and Ib, Ic, II. A positive correlation was found between the clinical stage of the disease (according to FIGO) and the total angiogenic points' density, density of endothelial cells and the density of vessels with viable lumen (counts/sq. mm calculated from the central parts of the tumor). These results suggest that the analysis of angiogenesis may be a useful biologic parameter and additional study of neovascularization in endometrial cancer is warranted.

Angiogenesis in cancer.

The concept of angiogenesis and consecutive stages of the neovascularization processes under physiological and pathological conditions have been described. Angiogenesis is regulated by the different mechanisms which are in dynamic balance. The regulating components of these processes are the stimulating and inhibiting factors, the mediators of these reactions under influence of the host cell-tumor cell interaction. The role of angiogenesis in cancer development is connected with obtaining the angiogenic phenotype by tumor when the transformation from prevascular to vascular phase of neoplasm goes on. The further tumor growth and metastasis processes depend on neovascularization. Actual research trends in the field of angiogenesis have been presented in this paper. We need to know such markers of angiogenesis would be the most useful for doing research work and monitoring neoplasm diseases in clinics. Antiangiogenic management seems to be a new promising therapeutic concept in oncology.

Studies on angiogenesis intensity in lung cancer in aspect of its correlation with histological type of tumor and clinical stage.

Angiogenesis intensity in lung cancer, in compliance with histological types, tumor differentiation and different clinical stage of disease, was evaluated. The group of 65 patients, 34-73 years old (average 58), who have been operated, were examined. Microvessels were highlighted by immunohistochemical method staining of endothelial cells for factor VIII-von Willebrand. Microvessel and single endothelial cell count per 1 mm2 in each section was determined using light microscope, synchronized with camera and IBM-AT computer (LUCIA-NIKON program for morphometric studies). All cases were divided into three groups depending on angiogenesis intensity: Io-0-200, IIo-201-400, IIIo-400 angiogenic objects/mm2 (microvessels-MV plus endothelial cells-EC). Majority (57%) of examined cases were found in IIo group. The results of studies on angiogenic objects number (MV+EC) per 1 mm2 in different histological type of cancer were following: 248.97 +/- 114.72 in squamous cell, 253.18 +/- 81.32 in adenocarcinoma, 284.04 +/- 114.27 in large cell, 388.02 +/- 117.73 in small cell, 385.27 +/- 210.92 in combined cancer. In each group of lung cancer with different TNM and clinical stages was found that the angiogenic objects number depends on T tumor feature, mainly in EC count analysis (T1-148.61 +/- 113.21, T2-179.38 +/- 100.57, T3-199.52 +/- 137.70, T4-253.18 +/- 108.60). Obtained data were analyzed with of t Student's test. The differences between angiogenic objects number in the groups with different histological type of lung cancer were no statistically significant, although were near threshold value in pairs squamous cell versus small cell (p = 0.0545) and adenocarcinoma versus small cell (p = 0.0611). The differences of EC counts in the same pairs were statistically significant: p = 0.0247 (squamous cell versus small cell) and p = 0.0380 (adenocarcinoma versus small cell). The correlation between angiogenic objects number and grade of tumor differentiation was statistically significant for G1 group versus G2 (p = 0.0380) and G1 versus G4 (p = 0.0008), in comparison to G2 versus G4-p = 0.0688. The remaining results were not statistically significant. Obtained data are no final because the examined groups of cases were not numerous enough. The dependences should be examined in large series of cases.